The Mask
by Sophiacharlotte
Summary: Caryl story, season 6. Demisexual Daryl
1. Chapter 1

An: hey, I'm aware I have two stories that I need to finish, but they are just not what's coming easy to me right now. I will finish, but for now I have a new one which will be short. Three to five chapters. I've sorta experimented here with Daryl being Demi sexual. Let me know what you think

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

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Daryl had dealt with it a long time ago. Long before the turn, Merle had thrown one women after another his way. Telling him there was something wrong with him, that it was impossible not to feel arousal.

"Fuck Daryl, I think Daddy must have knocked a few screws loose up there" Merle would say as another women would leave Daryl's room unsuccessful shrugging their shoulders at Merle after trying all their best moves with Daryl.

He was a freak, he'd never once felt sexual arousal, nothing. Something was different in his head, he wasn't built that way.

Merle had tried, lord had he tried. In frustration he'd started bringing him gay porn, even told him if he was gay to "stop being a pussy" and come out of the closet.

He wasn't gay, men didn't do anything for him either, and he'd checked, secretly watching the porn Merle had brought him, and feeling nothing, other than maybe amusement at the corny writing.

So he'd gone through his life alone, secretly grateful he didn't feel that pull or have those urges. He was a freak but the thought of letting someone touch him made him physically sick.

Then the turn happened, and he meet her, Carol. Suddenly the thought of someone touching him wasn't so awful. So, when she approached him, when Carol made a move at the prison, he'd been ready...and felt nothing.

JHe'd thought of anyone it would be her, she'd be the one he was finally meant to be with, but nothing had happened. He'd had to explain it to her that it really wasn't her, it was him. He wasn't built that way..he was a freak.

She'd sighed than smiled sweetly " You're not a freak...you're different, there's nothing wrong with that., and you're still my best friend." She whispered pressing a kiss to his temple.

She'd been disappointed, he knew. Another failure on his part. But she'd been honest, she never took her friendship away, never wavered. She became the one constant in his life, the one thing that kept him grounded.

His obsession, his quintessential need to keep her safe became an overbearing concern in his mind.

He began going to her at night. His anxiety about what would happen to her if the prison was breached at night bringing him to her door.

She never minded when he slipped into bed with her, she'd turn into him, rubbing her legs on him muttering about how warm he was, and fall asleep, or sometimes they talked. About everything, about nothing, about the most ridiculous subjects he'd ever had a conversation about.

Bit by bit they gradually started sharing the same cell. It only made sense, he spent most nights with her, and the prison became crowded.

He knew the others talked, were curious about them. She paid them no attention, she seemed happy with their arrangement, she didn't care what the others said she'd told him when he asked her if she wanted to set the group clear on their relationship, that he was a freak. He hated the thought of her with anyone else he realized but it wasn't fair to hold her back. The group was larger now, she had options. He'd seen the way some of the men looked at her.

"Daryl..." She whispered running her fingers threw his hair. " Our relationship is ours, we don't have to explain to anyone. I'm happy, happier than I've ever been. That's enough for me. You've shown me more how a real man behaves then Ed did in fifteen years. Love isn't only about sex." She whispered and put her head on his shoulder.

They became even closer, she seemed to loose her inhibitions around him. Not really caring if she changed in front of him, despite the patchwork of scars she bore too. He realized it then, she was serious, she was in it for the long haul. She loved him whatever way she could get him. Not because she had too, just because she did. She loved him, she accepted him the way he was.

The night before the run to get medical supplies, he'd found her. Up in the tower, staring off in the distance, looking so alone it broke his heart.

She hadn't even moved as he approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist he'd pressed his chin to her shoulder.

"Ya alright?" He'd asked hoarsely.

It was more intimate of a position then he'd shared with her before. He held her while she was sleeping like this, but somehow, standing here, like this he wondered if he crossed a line as his fingers seemed to involuntarily rub her stomach.

"Yeah." She sighed leaning her head back on his shoulder. She smirked "Sometimes you're the only thing that feels right anymore."

Fuck, sometimes he just didn't understand, how she saw what she did in him, how he was so lucky to find her. She was his everything, she knew him inside and out, and she accepted him. Loved him and...he loved her.

It knocked him for a loop, as he lead her to a chair in the room, and she sat on his lap, her arms around his shoulders. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own, as he rubbed her back, loving the feel of the skin he touched when her shirt cinched up. He seemed to develop goose flesh down his back and his stomach started to burn. He had the most uncontrollable urge to start to kiss her neck, and he would have too, if Maggie hadn't come bounding up the stairs to join him for their scheduled watch.

Carol had smiled, kissed his temple and greeted Maggie before heading into the prison.

Maggie had giggled, when Carol left "Sorry about that Daryl, we need to start posting a do not disturb sign on this door. "

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He'd grumped.

Maggie had snorted nodding to the very obvious arousal he was sporting " Go take care of that if you need to...Glen's always cranky when we get interrupted too. I won't fall asleep on my own, I'm too worried about Glenn and Daddy."

He'd been bounding down the stairs before she finished. What the fuck was happening? His first instinct had been to follow Carol, then he hesitated. He didn't know what the fuck he was doing, what if this was a fluke? He'd told her he couldn't, what if she thought he'd been lying?

He'd ended up in the tombs, touching himself experimentally, imagining it was her slender hand wrapped around him, or better yet her mouth, as he experienced release.

The next morning he'd pulled her into a hug as they exchanged farewells, feeling his manhood flare to life yet again, as his hand brushed against her breast accidentally. Fucking hell, this was not the time, or the place, but fuck it wasn't a fluke.

Then everything went to hell, and when it did, it went quickly. He lost her, she was gone.

It was a cosmic joke, the one woman in entire planet he could love, who made him feel like a man in every way was gone, and he'd lost his chance, at happiness, at a normal life.

And then he found her again, he'd never been happier to see someone in his whole life. There she was, a beacon in the forest, his happy ending, only she wasn't happy.

He was so fucking frustrated he could have screamed, he was ready, he was more than ready, and she wasn't. And dammit it felt like she wasn't even trying. He needed her to try.

When they got to Alexandria he was turned upside down on his head. She was different but the same. She wouldn't talk and it wasn't the right time. It was never the right time,the wolves had attacked, and in the aftermath she'd let her mask slip.

Long after the wolves had been dealt with, and the grief of losing good people in the fight had subsided. Long after the clean up, and the dealing with the injured, and fixing the wall, he'd gone to her, watching her while she slept.

It was true, what she said so long ago, love was more than sex. The fact that she was alive, now, sleeping so peacefully was everything. She was everything.

He sat down on the edge of her bed, watching her, he was wearing only a pair of old grey sweats. He had long ago lost the need to hide from her. She accepted him, for who he was, loved him for who he was, scars and all.

She woke softly in the moonlight, her clear blue eyes seemingly expecting him, and it was her smile, her face, no mask. He could have wept in relief. She opened her blankets and he slid in. Suddenly in a very queit voice she started talking, telling him everything that had happened to her, about Lizzie. When she was done he squeezed her waist kissing her temple. "Don't leave me again. All of this took you away, you were here but you weren't here. I'll hold you if you can't sleep, you can cry if you gotta, but don't leave. It's you I love, the one who fucks up sometimes. Not the game you were playing." Her eyes had filled with tears as he spoke, and she nodded bringing her hands to his cheeks, kissing his forehead before settling to sleep.

She was right love was about more than sex, she needed him tonight and he was there for her. Didn't mean sleeping with her in the same bed was easy. It was surely not. He all but whimpered as she threw her leg across him rubbing slightly with her knee. She moaned in her sleep. Fuck his life, this was unfair. If this was what he'd been missing all his life than he was glad that it was only for her.

He awoke the next morning to find her flat on her back. The loose tank top she was wearing had allowed one of her boobs to slide free.

Sweet merciful Jesus, he all but whimpered and then slammed his eyes shut. The image of her perfectly round pert tit stayed with him, torturing him with the fact, that it was just there, waiting to be licked.

She woke then, he heard her rearranging her tank top, then bounced out of bed.

He opened his eyes to her bare back and he hissed slamming his eyes shut. This was Merle's idea of a joke. The bastard was somewhere wheezing he was laughing so hard, Daryl was sure.

"Morning Pookie." She said as she flounced over to the bed, dressed. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple white shirt, much more her, no mask.

"Hey" he said glad the blanket was still covering his lap.

She lied down beside him her head on his shoulder.

"That was the best sleep I've had since the prison. I think...I think I can do this, if you're with me. Stay? " she whispered

"Stay in Alexandria? I ain't going anywhere." He mumbled

She giggled, pressing her face to his shoulder. "No! ...stay with me? In my room? Like at the prison?" She said seriously.

Oh god was it possible to die from having constant wood? How long did those commercials from before say you should contact your doctor? He thought. Four hours...fuck he flew past that last night. He should say no, until they had their relationship figured out, until he could get his head out of his ass. But he looked down into her eyes and found himself answering.

"Of course."

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review please :)

sorry about mistakes edited on my phone :)


	2. Chapter 2

aN: hey guys, sorry this took so long. I have RA, and it has been flaring up really badly lately. It's difficult to type:/ I feel like I lost momentum on this story, so I'm going to make it three parts. I'm not in love with this chapter but I needed to kick my RA butt into gear lol. Let me know what you think :)

I do not own or profit from The walking Dead

Chapter 2

The next day was a struggle for Daryl to keep his mind where it should be. They were just fucking attacked, people had died(thankfully no one from their family) he shouldn't feel...hopeful. He shouldn't be watching Carol like she was the last glass of water on earth.

In a way she was, it was a thrilling feeling, he didn't want to hold it back. All his life, he'd felt like a freak, like something was wrong with him, like he was missing something vital that everyone else had. Turns out he'd just been waiting for her.

How he wished at the prison when she'd shyly kissed him, he'd reciprocated. Why he hadn't felt anything then he wasn't sure, he wasn't sure how he was going to explain it to her either. He cursed himself now and his fucked up head, all that lost time. He just hoped he hadn't lost his chance. Carol had settled him firmly in the friend zone after that and his deepest fear was that her feelings had changed too. He hadn't given her any reason to wait for his feelings to change.

The safezone was having a community gathering in the green space at the centre of town. A moral booster Aaron had called it. Waste of time he thought but some of the kids were still scared after what happened. It was good to show them those assholes hadn't won.

Carol was in the centre of the action, dishing out food and smiled, her mask firmly in place. It wasn't her but it was still her, and now that he knew he could reach her, he longed to shake her off balance. Put a dent in that mask she held so firmly in place.

She noticed him sitting under a tree to the side and with a smile, a real smile, she headed his way. Two plates in hand.

"Hey" she said smiling as she sat down next to him, handing him some food, and she starting eating her own. It never failed, she always thought of him, a lot of times before herself. He felt a warmth in his gut, he'd almost lost her so many times.

They ate quickly in a companionable silence, after she set the plates to the side yawning, she put her head on his shoulder.

"Now all I need is a nap." She said with a smirk.

He stretched his arms around her shoulders as they relaxed. She had on just a tank top now as the midday heat while cooking had made her shed her blouse.

His hand was hanging low on her chest and he couldn't help it, his fingertips found her skin.

She was so soft, the way she was people watching he wasn't sure she even noticed what he was doing, but it was affecting him.

His callous fingers traced an imaginary light pattern across her collar bone. Gliding along her heated skin, feeling the light touch of his fingers over her skin. She had a fine sheen of sweat on her skin. He could feel it as his fingers glided along.

He couldn't stop the images in his mind. In his mind's eye he could see her. Naked on his lap, beads of sweat glistening down her neck she moved and arched to his touch.

"Fuck me." He muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" She said looking up at him in confusion. His fingers slid right into the neckline of her shirt.

She was staring up at him like it was the most natural thing in the world, meanwhile he was trying not to slide his hand down further and cup her breast.

Baby he thought, kiss me, wink, make a dirty joke, anything. Just show me I haven't lost my chance with you.

She moved in a little closer, a concentrated look on her facem, their lips inches apart. He could feel her sweet breath on his lips. She'd finished her meal with an apple. There was still beads of juice from the fruit on her lips. He bit his bottom lip stopping himself from sticking his tongue out to lap it up. He groaned, flexing his hand on her chest.

"Is that..?" She whispered more to herself because he wasn't even paying attention. "Oh my god...Daryl you have a bee in your hair!" She gasped grabbing the bee, which was dead and beginning to giggle. Pressing, her forehead to his chest she laughed, her giggling sending them curious looks from the others.

He was so lost in his own thoughts he was having a hard time keeping up with her train of thoughts.j

" oh lord Pookie, we better check and make sure you're not infested." She giggled even harder getting up. Her fingers threading through his hair. "What else you got in there, butterflies? Squirrels?." She continued on laughing barely able to breath at this point.

"Pfft...i ain't got nothing in my hair." He grumbled good naturedly.

She paused for a minute leaning down to his ear. "Well now, I just might have to check tonight, before I let you sleep in my bed." She whispered with a wink, blowing lightly on his ear.

Fuck, he was so off balanced he wouldn't have been able to stand even if he wanted, watching her as she giggled again and gave him that shit eating grin, before flouncing away, leaving him wondering if she'd been serious at all.

So much for throwing her off balance, he thought as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat watching her go.

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The clinic had taken some damage during the attack. After lunch the group had moved there next. Abraham already had a full crew working on repairs to the exterior, so he went inside to see where he could be of use.

Rosita almost knocked him down, carrying a box.

"Sorry Daryl...are you looking for something to do? Carol's trying to reorganize the back stock room...she might need some help." Rosita blurted out while keeping moving barely slowing down.

He grunted and continued on his way. Carol alone in the back stock room...perfect.

He opened the door to find her on her hands and knees in front of him her head stuck in a cupboard, as she hummed a song softly to herself. Her hips were swinging to the tune. She was happily arranging the bottom cupboard, with no clue he was standing having some trouble of his own.

"Are you staring at my ass?" She asked suddenly, playfully as she glanced over her shoulder finding him standing there.

He could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. "What ...no..I.." He blustered unprepared.

She giggled "Daryl I'm joking...as Tara would say chill." She started to back up from under the cupboard, when she gasped suddenly putting her hand to her lower back.

"What's wrong?" He asked moving closer.

"Back spasm ...oh god." She sat up on her knees rubbing her back. "Can you help me?" She asked motioning behind her.

"What?"

"Can you help me? Work the spasm out? It really hurts Daryl..Please?" She panted.

He nodded and knelt down behind her. She stretched her arms above her head linking her hands them looping them around his neck. Her head fell back against his shoulder. She arched her back stretching her back out.

"Can you lean back so I can stretch my back more?" She asked, she turned her head into his neck.

Daryl nodded unable to speak, leaning back he was forced to put his hands on her waist to steady himself. His hands sliding forward to rest on her flat stomach.

The noises she was making, were setting him on fire. "Oh God..that feels so good. yes that's the spot..oh God." She groaned.

He couldn't take it anymore and he let go. Standing up quickly turning around to take a few deep breaths.

"Yah alright now?" He asked his voice slightly breathless.

She was eying him curiously. Her gaze speculative as she watched him. "I'm fine..." She said. "You ok? "

"Yeah...I ...need." He paused, turning to look at her. Just do it you pussy, tell her. He lifted his head up to meet her face. " I ..."

"I'm so happy, that we are ok." She said with a grin. "I've missed this so much, our friendship, being comfortable with each other. You know you can tell me anything right?" She said.

Fuck, and there he was going around the circle of the friend zone just to go around again. Hesitating he stared at her beaming face. There was the fucking problem, she was happy. Who was he to complicate her life. Maybe her feelings for him had changed. Maybe it would screw this up, their friendship, her happiness. Love was more than sex, she'd taught him that. He'd wanted her in every way but more than anything he wanted her happiness. He wanted to protect that, at all cost.

He nodded "Yeah I know."


	3. Chapter 3

aN: well I meant to go super smutty and I think I crash landed in angst...I still like this ending though :) tell me what you think. Your reviews brighten up my day :)

I do not own or profit from The Walking Dead

Chapter 3

It started innocently enough. Daryl tried, he really tried to find a way around staying in her bed that night but she'd looked at him, with those eyes, like she needed him, to protect her from her nightmares, and he was lost. There was nothing he could deny her.

He'd showered first, she'd made the obligatory jokes he knew she would about checking him for fleas and honey bees, and then he'd gotten rock hard in the shower at the thought of Carol thoroughly inspecting his body.

He'd wrapped his hand his dick, in his mind it was her, as he pressed his forehead to the wall of the shower, the water raining down on him. In his mind, he had her, pressed to the wall of the shower, the water beading on her fine skin, rivulets, trailing down her body.

She would be all fire, in that moment, he knew it instinctively. She wouldn't hold anything back, she would be intense sand focused solely on him.

He wanted her mouth on him. On his skin, his dick. He wanted to feel her breath, on his skin. He wanted to hear her heart beating in her chest. He wanted her, he thought with a groan as he jerked himself even faster, in his mind she was k selling down in front of him, taking him into her mouth, as he pumped furiously, coming with a muffled cry of her name.

It was for the best, maybe now, he'd be able to control himself. Maybe now he'd be able to hold her tonight like she needed and not tnry to move things in a direction she wasn't willing to go.

Jerking off in the shower didn't help. He was lying in Carol's bed after his shower waiting for her to finish in the bathroom. The pillows smelled like her. A light floral smell that seemed to permeate the air when she was near, even before Alexandria when they all had smelled like shit, she still smelled like her, and that scent that would make his gut tighten with need.

He had his eyes closed trying hard to ignore the way her scent was almost caressing him when she emerged from the shower.y

He opened his eyes to her asked back as she shimmied into a nightgown and it floated down around her hips. Fuck...this was such a bad idea, he groaned in his mind as his cock started to drip.

"You asleep?" She whispered as she snuggled under the blankets.

He rolled onto his stomach his dick straining into the bed as he bunched the pillows in his arms and looked at her.

"Getting there." He mumbled lying.

She was lying on her side, smiling at him. He'd never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

He could lie there all night, and simply watch her, and listen as she chatted about the day. Her eyes were alive, they were sparkling. That was his Carol, the one he lived for, the one he would die for. He'd almost lost her again, and the thought of losing their comfortable bond, losing that light in her eyes, put a damper on his mood. She sensed the change in his mood and stopped the story she was telling him to ask "You ok?"

"Fine" he mumbled, turning his head into the pillow, her eyes were like windows, to her soul, he couldn't lie while looking right at her. "Back's a bit sore." He murmured into the pillow.

Her touch on his back was hesitant. Like she wasn't sure he would want her touch, if she only knew what her touch was doing to him.

He groaned and she took that as encouragement. Suddenly she was only her knees beside him, both hands kneading into his muscles gently then rubbing the area, her cool hands gliding across his back.

She worked her way up, starting low at the small of his back, taking her time, she didn't miss a spot. This was Carol, his Carol. She gave him everything, love and acceptance, and for so long he'd given her nothing in return. He wanted to be what she needed in every way. He wanted to be with her, he couldn't hold it back anymore. When her fingers found his shoulders he put his hand up and held her hand to his skin.

"Daryl?" She asked in confusion.

He turned to look at her "Please tell me...Please tell me it's not too late." He whispered.

She sat back on her haunches staring at him in confusion.

"Too late for what?" She whispered, as she reached out to wipe a tear that trickled down his cheek. He rolled onto his back and say up, taking her hand hand in both his.

"You know I love you right?" He whispered his voice croaking.

"I love you too."

"Things have changed for me." He whispered his voice barely audible.

"Changed...how?" She asked her head tilted to the side

He took a deep breath, quivering as he exhaled. "That night in the tower, before the med run...I realized something."

"What?" She asked softly.

"I" he coughed feeling anxiety creep up into his gut. "I realized I didn't love you like a friend, I love you the way a man loves his woman...I love you the way a man loves his wife." He finished on a whisper looking up at her eyes.

Her mouth had formed a perfect o in shock "You do?" She said as he nodded "But.." She paused as he quickly pulled her hand to run her fingertips across the very obvious evidence of his arousal before letting go of her hand.

"But how?" She said looking up at him, a grin forming on her face. Her fingertips still resting over his arousal. He panted as she moved her hand slightly a look of discovery on her face.

"Ever since that night...when you're near.." He murmured, as her palm came to rest on top of his arousal.

She looked up and swatted his shoulder with her opposite hand. "And you didn't tell me?" She said with mock anger.

"I.." He hesitated as she crawled into his lap "I was worried you're feelings had changed, that I lost my chance."

She rocked her hips slightly as his dick came to settle in the cleft of her slit. The panties she was wearing and his old thin sweatpants the only barrier.

"Fuuuuuuuuck." He hissed, he was halfway ready to cum as it was.

She put her hands on his cheeks making him look into her eyes " Daryl...for us, for you...there would always be a chance. That door is always open, there could never be anyone else for me. You're loyal...sometimes to a fault. You needed to fall in love before you could have sex." He eyes teared up as she smiled at him "That's the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. If it's possible I love you even more." She whispered bringing her lips to his neck. She sat up then and pulled her nightgown over her head.

He flipped her onto her back, his hands by the side of her head as he stared down at her. "It had to be you, ...I could never have fell in love with anyone but you." He growled in a low whisper as his mouth attacked her neck.

She was pulling at the panties she had on, and suddenly she was naked underneath him. Her hands sliding into the waist band of his old sweats as he groaned at the sensation of her skin on his.

His fingers found her wet heat and she gasped arching her back even as she was pulling his pants down his hips, her toes flicking them off his legs.

He couldn't wait any longer and hoped by the noises she was making she was ready for him.

"Now.." She moaned answering his question.

He pushed into her slowly, the feeling a million times better than he had ever imagined. He opened his eyes connecting with hers. Overwhelmed at being connected, at feeling like she was a part of him. Everything in his life suddenly made sense, it all fell into place. It was one moment of perfect clarity where his life made complete sense.

He'd been so worried about her, hiding her true self away, he'd done the same thing. A surly outer demeanour scared that people would see him for what he did, past his mask. She saw through all of that. It was part of the reason he loved her so much. He wasn't a freak he thought as he watched her throw her head back in ex tasty, moaning his name, her walls gripping him tightly. He wasn't sure he could hold on, the feeling of her tight heat almost too much to bare, but he was waiting for her, just like he'd spent his life until they met; waiting for her.


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